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REFRIGERATOR.

' No. 291,278; Patented Jan. 1, 1884,

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REFRIGERATOR.

' Patented Jan'.. 1 1884.

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REFRIGERATOR. E No. 291,278. PaQtentedJan.1,1884.

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ATTORNEYS.

- UM-TED STATES PATENT ovate.

CHARLES .T. BERENS, OF IVASHINGTON, INDIANA.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,278, dated January 1, 1884.

Application filed August 2,1883. (No model.)

lb ail whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. BERENS, of WVashmgton, in the county of Daviess and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Refrigerators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to the class of refrigerators in which the valves. vents, or other openingsleading to the coldair chambers from theice may be opened and closed from the outside of the refrigerator, in order that the warm outer air may be excluded from the main part of the refrigerator when the door or window of one of the chambers is opened.

The invention consists oft-he novel construction hereinafter'described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention, partly broken away. Fig. '2 is a detail view, showing the under side of the bottom of the ice-chamber. Fig. 8 is a section on line as m of Fig. 2. Fig. I is a section on line 9 g of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a section on line y y of Fig. 1.

The refrigerator is preferably foi'medwith acentralair-chamber,A,and two sideair-c'hambers, B B, each having a door or window communicating with the outside. Above the airchambers is the ice-chamber O, which is provided with air-passages D in or about its bottom, and valves or slides E, connected together by pivoted arms F and adjustable supports F, which arms are adapted to be operated by a rod, G, projecting through the wall of the refrigerator, to open or close the said air-passages. The valves E are adapted to slide in cleats H, which are so formed that they may be turned to allow the valves to be removed for the purpose of cleansing them, when necessary, or for other purposes; and the several valves or slides are removably connected to the arms F, or to each other, to facilitate removal. \Vhen the rod G is pulled outward, the arms F will be oscillated to throw the valves to the position'shown in full lines, and when it is pushed in, the valves will assume the positions shown in dotted lines; These valves lead directly to the central or main cold-air chamber, A,.and consequently they are to be closed before the door of chamber A v hold the ice out of contact with the bottom and walls of the said chamber. The ice-chamber may be reached through a door, J, or by removing the top, according to the size of the refrigerator. The cold-air chambers B B at the sides of the central chamber, A, are each formed with a side wall, K, and top wall, L, which are provided with vents adapted to be closed by slides M, in order to prevent the outer air from penetrating to the central chamber, A, when the doors or windows of the side chambers are opened. These slides may be supported on rollers b, and operated in the mannerof those above described; or they may be connected to the door or window in such manner that opening the latter shall close the said vents, while closing it shall open them. The slides M areconnected to rock-shafts N, supported in the walls of chambers B B, which shafts, where there are two, as in Fig. 4, may be connected together by a pivoted red. 0. If the slides are to be operated by the action of opening and closing a window, one of the rock-shafts is to be provided with a pivoted vertical arm, P, to which an arm, Q, attached to the lower part of the sash, is to be connected by a sliding joint, so that the raising or low ering of the sash shall rock the shaft and operate the valves at its initial and final movements. One of the slides, where there are two or more connected together, is to be provided with a retracting-spring, as shown at R and S; or instead of a spring aweight having a cord running over a pulley or other equivalent device may be used. IVhere the rockshaft is to be operated by the action of opening and closing a door, an arm, T, may be pivoted to an arm of the rock-shaft and supported by a guide in position for being operated by an arm, T, attached to the door.

Instead of a separate rock-shaft for each slide, one shaft having two arms may be used, as shown in Fig. 5. The walls K L are made removable, being supported by cleats U; and to facilitate the connection of the slides with IOO the arms of the rock-shafts, the slides are provided with slotted arms V, adapted to be placed in engagement with said arms in the act of placing the walls K Lin proper position. The rod G is provided with a graduated scale, G,by which the adjustment of the slides E may be regulated according to the degree of coldness required in the chambers A B B.

G is a removable frame, adapted to be hung up in the chamber A and filled with a number of articles or orders which are to be delivered about the same time, the object being to prevent too frequent opening of the door of said chamber to deliver the articles separately.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a refrigerator with several compartments having valves for shutting oil one from communication with another, to prevent the es cape of cold air when a door or window of the refrigerator is opened, and I do not claim this idea, broadly.

I am also aware that such valves have been operated by a weight or spring actuated arm or lever, against which a hinged door or window is adapted to press, when being closed, and thisalso I disclaim in its broad application.

Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with the ice-chamber C, having air-passages D in or about its bottom, of the slides E, pivoted arms F, and rod G, projecting outside the refrigerator, substanl t-ially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the ice-chamber G, having air-passages D in or about its bottom, of the slides E, pivoted arms F, adjustable supports F, and the graduated rod G, arranged to project without the refrigerator, substantially as shown and described, whereby the quantity of cold air admitted to the refrigeratingchambers may be regulated, as specified.

3. The removable walls K L, ha ing openings therein, in combination with the weight or spring actuated slides )I, having slotted arms V,- and the rock shaft or shafts N, having arms with which said slotted arms engage when said walls are being placed in position, sub stantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the weight or spring actuated slides )I, the rock-shafts X, having arms engaged with said slides, the vertical arm I, pivoted to an arm on one of the rockshafts, and the window-sash having an arm, Q, sliding on the arm I? to adapt the window to act on the slides only at the beginning of 55 its movement when being lifted and at the end of its movement when being let down.

CHARLES .l'. l-iEl-lENS.

\V i l nesses:

A. G. Lvxn, Son: 0. 1(EHUIJ. 

